Method of shaping heel parts of shoe



N 1939- c. A. THURSTON METHOD DIP SHAPING HEEL PARTS OF SHOE UPPERS Original Filed Nov. 10, 1951 Reissued Nov. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF SHAPING HEEL PARTS OF- SHOE UPPERS Original No. 2,145,410, dated January 31, 1939,

Serial No. 173,763, November 10, 1937.

Application for reissue September 20, 1939, Serial No.

5 Claims.

This invention relates to methods of shaping the heel portion of the upper of a shoe, whether employed in connection with a shoe of the sandal,

or open shank type, in which the heel part is 4 only connected to the forepart of the upper thru the sole, or whether it is directly connected to the forepart.

Prior to my invention the customary method of forming the heel part of the upper has been to stitch the upper leather and lining together at their top edges and then, when the shoe is lasted, to insert a previously moulded counter, or heel stiffener between the upper and lining and then to last the upper andlining onto the counter either by means of a lasting machine,

or by hand.

The results then secured while suflicient with some types of shoes, have never been satisfactory with other types, particularly where a flat heel seat is especially desirable and when the sole is attached by a cementing process. Also the counter is often not correctly positioned between the lining and upper and the folds which are necessarily formed in the flanged portions of the upper and lining are often uneven and pressed into bunches.

I have attempted to obviate these difficulties by molding the lining, counter and upper leather together in an ordinary counter molding machine, so that a heel part would be produced which could be placed in position on the last and did not require the usual lasting operation, but, in attempting to do this, various difliculties were encountered, which principally consisted in the difliculty of avoiding damage to the upper, which is either of leather, or textile material, and in preventing the formation of wrinkles, or creases therein.

It was also practically essential that this operation be performed without increasing the manufacturing cost and very desirable that an actual reduction in manufacturing cost be secured.

The objects of my invention are to produce a method whereby the unmolded heel parts consisting of the lining, counter and upper may be assembled and then molded in an ordinary counter molding machine, so that they are shaped in their ultimate form, without causing damage to, or forming wrinkles in the upper, whereby the heel part thus produced may be placed on the last and attached to the sole without the necessity of performing a. lasting operation, and resulting in producing improved results in shoe making at a reduced manufacturing cost.

I accomplish these objects by means of the hereinafter described method, which may be outlined as follows:

A fiat counter piece, having skived edges, and suitably shaped upper and lining pieces are provided, between which the counter, while in temper, is placed, a flexible adhesive being interposed between each side of the counter and the upper and lining respectively, and the top edges then being stitched. When correctly positioned, the top and bottom edges of all three pieces are substantially coincident, so that the upper and lining overlap the portion of the counter from which the bottom flange is formed. The bottom edge portions of the upper, lining and counter are then crimped and the parts thus asselnbled are preferably clam shelled or rolled to produce a slight longitudinal and transverse curvature therein. The molding operation is then performed in an ordinary counter molding machine, which is so arranged that, by a preliminary operation, a partial bottom flange is formed and by a second operation the normal bottom flange is formed, the sides being at the same time molded in the ultimate form to correspond to the last on which the shoe is to be constructed.

For a more complete disclosure of the invention reference is now made to the following specification; in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are plan views of the counter, upper and lining pieces respectively.

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate successive steps in the assembling operation.

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate the result of the crimperably illustrated in connection with a heel part.

which is not directly connected to the vamp.

Suitably shaped counter, 'upper and lining pieces a, b, and o are provided, as shown in Figs.

- 1, 2 and 3 respectively, the counter being flat and having its edges skived. The counter is tempered and both sides are coated with ,a. flexible adhesive, a form of rubber adhesive being employed which is waterproof and preferably nondrying or slow setting.' While several methods of assembling these parts may be employed the following is considered preferable.

The adhesively coated counter, while in temper,

' is placed in position on the upper and the top edge portion of the latter is bent over the top edge of the counter and onto its inner side, as shown I in Fig. 4. Then the lining piece is placed in position on the inner side of the counter, so that it overlaps the inturned edge of the upper and so that its edpe is flush with the edge of the counter, as shown in Fig. 5. The top edges ofthe parts, as.

10 thus assembled, are stitched together by a row of stitches :1 close to the top edge, the stitches passing thru the edge portion of the counter, as shown in Figs. 10 and 12.

As thus assembled the counter will be correctly 1 positioned'with relation to the other parts and the bottom edge portions of the upper and lining will, to an extent, overlap the bottom edge portion of the counter, from which the bottom flange 30 regular series of oppositely and transversely dis-- posed indentations e therein, as indicated at Figs. 6 and 7. This crimping operation has the effect of binding all the edge portions together and is confined to the portion which forms the bottom 3| flange by the subsequent molding operation. The parts are then clam shelled so as to curve them slightly longitudinally and transversely, as indicated in Fig. 8, by passing them between transversely curved rolls. This operation, while not 49 wholly essential, is desirable.

By the next operation the assembled parts are placed in an ordinary counter molding machine indicated by the molding members I and 9. An initial molding operation is first performed by 4| setting the parts in such a position between the molding members that the bottom edge portion fromwhich the flange is formed extends only. partly beyond the face of the inner mold member I, as indicated in Fig. 9, so that, when the wiping member 71 performs its function, the bottom flange will only be partly formed, as indicated in Fig. 10. The sides and back of the parts are also preliminarily molded by this operation.

The parts are then moved out into the flnal 5g molding position shown in Fig. 11, and a second and final molding operation is performed, so that thebottom flange is completely formed, as indicated in Fig. 12, and the entire shaping operation will be completed as shown in Fig. 13. This latter operation is preferably repeated to set the parts inmolded form.

The part thus produced may then be placed in position on the last and no lasting operation at the heel end will be necessary, as the part is then so ready for attachment to the sole.

" When the parts, as originally assembled, are 'bent transversely to permit them to be placed in a molding machine and when the molding operation is performed, a substantial strain-is placed on the upper lengthwise thereof, and, if the upper has been attached to the counter by an adhesive which does not yield, the upper is liable to be split usually at the middle of the back, where the strain is greatest. For this reason the adhe- 75' sive which is employed between the upper and counter is flexible and adapted to yield under strain. A non-drying, or slow setting rubber adhesive is preferably employed for this purpose, so that the longitudinal strain on the upper is distributed throughout the length of the counter and a slight relative movement of the upper on the counter is permitted when the parts are bent.

The crimping operation which is performed on I the flange or bottom edge portions of the parts is of great importance for several reasons. It acts 10 to connect these parts so as to prevent relative displacement at this portion, and when the wip- -ing operation is performed to form the bottom flange, the folds which are formed in this portion of the upper will be uniform. Otherwise there would be liability of formation of these folds in bunches which would tend to prevent the formation of a flat heel seat and would be liable to cause creases to extend into the side of the upper beyond the vertex of the bend. The strain on the parts during the formation of the flange is also reduced thereby.

The progressive formation ofthe bottom flange described is also important, as the strain on the parts is also reduced thereby. The extent to which the counter is tempered is important, as I have ascertained that a medium temper enables the best results to be produced. The counter is tempered before the adhesive is applied, so that by coating it with a rubber adhesive the moisture is retained until after it has been molded.

While the upper and lining havebeen shown to correspond in shape to the contour of the counter, it will be understood that the end portions of the upper and lining may be extended beyond the 3 ends of the counter without in any degree afiect-' ing the operations hereinbefore described, as portions which extend beyond the ends of the counter do not need to be molded. g

I claim: 4o

1. That method of producing the upper portion of the heel part of a shoe which consists in providing similarlyshaped, flat, upper, counter and lining pieces, assembling the counter between the upper and lining with an interposed yieldable adhesive over the entire contacting surfaces thereof, and with their top edges in approximate coincidence and the bottom edge portions of the upper and lining overlapping the bottom edge portion of the counter, connecting all of said pieces by arow of stitches extending close to said top edge, securing the bottom edge portions of said pieces against relative displacement by pressing them together and forming a'series of transverse indentations therein, and then simultaneously molding all of said pieces to conform to the sides of a last and bending said bottom edge portions to forma bottom flange, to provide a flat heel seat:

2. That method of producing the upper portion on of the heel part of a shoe which consists in providing similarly shaped upper, counter and lining pieces, assembling the counter between the upper and lining pieces with their top edgesin approximate coincidence and the bottom edges of the upper and lining overlapping the bottom edge portion of the counter and connecting their surfaces by means of a yieldable adhesive which permitsrelative slipping of one on another during the subsequent molding operation, securing the bot- 7. tom edge portions of said pieces against relative displacement by pressing them together and forming a series of transversely disposed indentations therein and then simultaneously molding all of said pieces to conform to the sides of a last and 1| bending said bottom edge portions to provide a bottom flange for a heel seat.

3. That method of producing the upper portion of the heel part of a shoe which co sists in providing similarly shaped upper, countenand lining pieces, assembling the counter between the upper and lining pieces with their top edges in approximate coincidence and the bottom edges of the upper and lining overlapping the bottom edge portion of the counter and connecting their surfaces bymeans or a yieldable adhesive which permits relative slipping of one on another during the subsequent molding operation, securing the bottom edge portions 01' said pieces against relative displacement by pressing them together and forming a series of transversely disposed indentations therein and then simultaneously molding all of said pieces to coniorm to the sides of a last and, at the same time, by successive molding operations, bending a portion of said bottom edge portions to provide a partial bottom flange and then bending the entire bottom portion to form a complete bottom flange ior attachment of a heel.

4. That method of producing the upper portion of the heel part of a shoe which consists in providing upper, counter and lining pieces, assembling the counter between the upper and lining pieces, connecting their surfaces by means of a yieldable adhesive which permits relative slipping oi one on another during the subsequent molding operation, securing the bottom edge portion 01' said pieces against relative displacement by pressing them together and then simultaneously molding all of said pieces to conform to the sides of a last and, at the same timei'by successive molding operations, bending a portion of said bottom edge portion to provide a partial bottom flange and then bending the entire bottom portion to form a complete bottom flange, for attachment of a heel.

5. That method of producing the upper portion oi the heel part of a ,shoe which consists in providing upper. counter and lining pieces, assembling the counter between the upper and lining pieces, connecting their surfaces by means of a yieldable adhesive which permits relative slipping of one on another during the subsequent molding operation, securing the bottom edge portion of said pieces against relative displacement by pressing them together and forming a series of transversely disposed indentations therein, and then simultaneously molding all of said pieces to conform to the sides of a last and, at the same time, by successive molding operationsbending a portion of said bottom edgelportions to provide a partial bottom flange andfthen bending the entire bottom. portion to form ajcomplete bottom flange for attachment of a heel.

CHARLES 1 THURSTON. 30 

